[PaulyX]

Hi, so here's the first song I've written in approaching a year, which only sees the light of day thanks to the generosity of Skub, who was kind enough to work his magic and knock it into shape from a very scratchy demo.  It was a real education working with someone who knows how to really play guitar and mix.
The song is about as close as I'm ever likely to get to a straight love song, and is intended to be a thank you to Mrs PaulyX, who has been the constant in my equation for a long time while the world quietly changed beyond recognition in the background.  Lyrics below.
Thanks mates.
Pauly

https://soundcloud.com/commodore-64/the-melody-of-pirate-software-feat-davy-vance

The Melody of Pirate Software

A head so full of relics I might just as well forget
The melody of pirate software uploading off cassette
Now I Instagram the Reeboks strung up in the treetops
It's trivia that reminds you, you've seen more days than you project.
Stuck in an 80s ballad: over emoting and constantly hoping for the big drums to kick in, and when

Nothing happens, everything changes
There is a pattern - if you squint you can start to see

Our friends put the child locks on, it didn't stop them falling out
We had our days of silence but they were nothing much to shout about
The server farms are screaming but we still whisper down the wires
As the revolution's webcast one Gig at a time
I swagger round - the pacifist gunslinger who begged to stay for dinner.

Nothing happens, everything changes
There is a pattern - if you squint you can start to see
That when everything changes, all that remains is
Your patience and the constant of your company

All I want is to become obsolete together.

[pompeyjazz]

This is a lovely song guys. I really like the care you've taken with the lyrics Paul. Yep, constants are rare these days. I love the light and shade that has been put into the arrangement, the guitars and the subtle bv's, plus there's a wonderful catchy chorus which you can't help but sing along to. This deserves a lot of listens as it's a real grower.

Loved it
Top performances all around

[mickyplankton]

Yeah as Pompey says this is a grower. On the 2nd listen it starts to click together in a way that doesnt quite happen on the first listen. The second listen I started to really warm to the dynamics in the song. It's quite delicate really which is fine because it's been carefully constructed and mixed. Initially I thought it was too long at 4.21 but second time i lost all sense of time as the song took over. Quite sophisticated songwriting and a good tribute.

[Skub]

Yo Pauly.

Where have I heard this before?

The chaps saying it is a grower are bang on the money for me. That chorus has been whanging off the piss stained walls in the corridors of my head ever since you infected my Mac! 

It's a great pleasure to contribute to a song which I totally dig,everything flows so much easier.

I love the way you write lyrics Paul,love that skewed,ironic view on proceedings.

Thanks for allowing my small additions to a damn fine song.

[shadowfax]

Really really REALLY good song instrumentation top notch. my only crit is the vocal sounded a touch too loud to me...could be wrong though...

best, Kevin

[dinnerwithgreedo]

Agree with the last post... the vocals were a bit loud for me too. Needed softening too

[adamfarr]

Definitely my sort of thing. The detailed memories of the software ‘tune’ (and other references) are so specific and so evocative and yet so exclusive to those who were around doing those things at that specific time. And to turn the shared experiences into a love song is super clever.


Some really memorable playful touches too - the “falling out” is a great line.


Between those observations and Skub’s classic guitar tones, this reminded a bit of Making Silver Sing off Ian Mcnabb’s latest album. (Though ironically he still seems to love those 80s drums...)


Just possibly the vocal seemed a little unconfident at first? (Not that I’m one to talk). Maybe just due to some time away. Good to have you back for sure though.

[PaulyX]

Thanks a great deal for the feedback guys.
Mickey & Pomps - thanks a lot, glad it resonated.
Skub - you and I both know it was hardly 'small additions' you made! 
Shadowfax & Greedo - thanks for the tip on the vocals being too loud, I have duly reined them back a few DB, especially in the first verse.
Adam - I'm glad it worked for you.  I hadn't heard of Ian Mcnabb but I checked out that song... yes a similar sensibility isn't it?  I'll listen to some more of his stuff.  The unconfident vocal - yes, I made several approaches at the vocal... some more bullish and attacking but in the end decided a more intimate feel was better, so was half whispering the first verse about 2cm from the mike.  Probably took that too far.
Have a good Sunday and thanks again.
Paul

[Martinswede]

Hi Paul!

At the moment the track doesn't play. The SoundCloud banner just says Still Processing.

I'll check back later today.

All the best,
Martin

[PaulyX]

@Martinswede , thanks for pointing that out Martin.  Something went wrong with the embedded Soundcloud track when I adjusted the volumes and reposted, so I've swapped it for a regular link (which seems to work this end).  Cheers.

[adamfarr]

Hey Pauly - i luuurve him and I’m sure you will too. The latest album is his best for a long time, since A Part Poitical Broadcast..., and (maybe you already know after all) all the Icicle Works stuff...

[MartynRich]

Lovely little song with lots of nice touches to provide variety - this kind of attention to detail doesn't happen often. Nice subject matter as well.

I liked the voice as the song went on...it sounded too low pitched at first but I grew on me 100%. It´s a great piece of work - loads of nice touches to take on board and demand further listening.

[MonnoDB]

Lovely song - clever lyrics - some great touches. And I agree that it's incredibly catchy - listened once yesterday and listening again today it grabbed me immediately.

Love the placement of that first short guitar solo - it really work and of course the guitar work is sweet throughout.  I also really like @Skub 's BVs.

Just fab!

[MichaelA]

Very poetic in a slightly eccentric yet sort of vulnerable way. Lots of care taken over those lyrics and the song's catchiness although a bit slow to come through then hits you like a sledgehammer. Great stuff! Really good piece of work, and yeah, it was worth pulling in the guitar work of that other fellah, whoever he is! 

Highly enjoyable, cheers!

[rightly]

Lovely song.
Quite unusual for me. 

I really like these lines.

Our friends put the child locks on, it didn't stop them falling out
We had our days of silence but they were nothing much to shout about

Clever stuff.
Well done.